Oven door window unit



Aug 17, 1965 R. B. LARKIN 3,200,812

OVEN DOOR WINDOW UNIT Filed Sept. 24, 1963 United States Patent O 3,200,812 @VEN D003 WINDW UNlT Robert B. ical-itin, Farmington, Mich., assigner to Mills Products, Inc., Wailed Lahe, Mich., a 'corporation of Michigan Filed Sept. 24, 1963, Ser. No. 311,071 3 Claims. (Cl. 126-209) This invention relates to oven door window units and has particular reference to certain new and useful improvements therein to prevent fogging of such windows.

Condensation of moisture yon the inner surfaces of a double glazed oven window is a problem, particularly when the oven in which it is used is `a sealed oven.

A principal object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a novel and simple double glazed window unit incorporating means to prevent condensation of moisture on `the inner `surfaces of the glass panels.

Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and may be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment of the invention and what I now consider to be the best mode of applying .the principles thereof. Other embodiments lof the invention may be used Without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational View of a window unit embodying .the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the portion indicated by the circle A in FIG. 1 g and FIG. 3 is a sectional View taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

As illustrated -in the drawings, a window unit embodying the invention comprises in general a frame 10, a spacer 12, inner and outer tempered glass panels 14 and 16, a charge of desiccant 18, a sealing tape 20, and a gasket 22 which forms a moisture-proof seal between the inner door panel 24 `and the glass panel 14. The construction of the window unit is very similar in many respects to that disclosed in Mills Patent No. 3,021,832 in that the glass panels 14 and y16, the spacer 12, and .the frame preferably are of the same construction as that illustrated in such Mills patent. However, there are some important `differences in that according to the present invention the space between the glass panels 14 and 16 is sealed by flexible, moisture-proof tape 20 which is adhesively secured to the periphery of the glass panels 14 and 16 so as to seal the space therebetween. Preferably the tape 20 is a pressure-sensitive, adhesive-backed aluminum foil tape which is wrapped around the edges of the panels 14 and 16 as illustrated so as to overlap the front faces of the panels 14 and 16 and space the same from contact with the frame 10.

The frame 10 is a wrap-around channel-shaped frame in which the panels 14 and 16 are mounted and which serves as a means for mounting the same in the oven door between .the inner and outer panels 24 and 26 thereof. The frame is provided with beads or ribs 28 and 30 which cooperate with the inturned ilanges 32 and 34 of .the door panels for locating the window unit with respect to the opening in the panels 24 and 26 and so that the glass panels 14 and 16 extend across such opening.

After the spacer 12 is assembled between the glass panels 14 and 16 at the peripheral edge thereof, the tape 20 is wrapped around the panels to form a unit to which the frame 10 is subsequently applied.

The tape Ztl includes a coating 36 of pressure-sensitive silicone adhesive on one face thereof so as to bond and seal the tape 20 to the glass panels 14 and 16. The

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cross section illustrated in FIG. 3 is a typical cross section. The space enclosed by the spacer 12 and the tape 20 forms a chamber which accommodates a charge 18 of desiccant, such as silica gel. Since the space between the glass panels 14 and 16 is sealed by the tape 2li, the desiccant 18 serves'to absorb from the air in such space any moisture therein, and thus will prevent condensation of such moisture on the inner surface of the panels 14 and 16. The gasket 22 is also assembled in the frame between the inner panel 114 and the bead or rib 3d, and this gasket cooperates with the inner edge of the ange 54 and the adjacent face of the inner glass panel 14 so as to form a moisture-proof seal between the inner door panel 24 and the inner glass panel 14. The gasket preferably carries a trim molding 40 which `serves to cover the joint between the gasket 22 `and the inner edge of the door flange 34.

The iiexible tape Z0 is preferably of aluminum foil and provides a llexible seal so as to accommodate expansion of the panels 14 and 16 without straining. The silicone pressure-sensitive adhesive will withstand temperatures up to about 550 F. rso as to maintain a seal with the panels 14 and 16 throughout the temperature range that may be encountered in the use, handling, shipping, or storage of stoves having windows embodying the invention herein disclosed. I contemplate that other tapes besides aluminum foil tape may be employed, but I have found aluminum foil tape to be preferable and also relatively inexpensive for a requirement of this kind. iin addition, it is impervious to moisture.

The seal between the inner door panel 24 and the inner glass panel 14 prevents oven gases and moisture carried thereby from passing into the door, while the tape 20 `serves to exclude any moisture from entering the space between the panels 14 and 16. The desiccant 1S serves to remove any moisture trapped in the space between the panels during the original assembly. The gasket Z2 preferably is of silicone rubber so as to withstand the maximum temperatures normally encountered in the oven.

While -I have illustrated and described a preferred cmbodiment of my invention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A window unit for an oven comprising a pair of spaced glass panels, a continuous hollow spacer between said panels at the edges thereof, a frame in which said panels lare mounted, a moisture impervious sealing tape wrapped around the peripheral edges of said spacer and panels and separating the `same from contact with said frame, said spacer and tape cooperating to provide a chamber, desiccant in said chamber, said sealing tape comprisf ing aluminum foil and overlapping the outer faces of said panels, and a silicone adhesive capable of withstanding temperatures up t0 about 550 F. sealing said tape to the `periphery and the outer faces of said panels.

Z. A window unit according to claim 1 wherein said unit forms a part of an assembly which includes a panel having an opening in which said unit is mounted, and a silicone rubber sealing ring clamped between said panel and said unit and extending around said unit and said opening.

3. A window unit for an oven closure comprising a pair of spaced glass panels, a mounting frame in which said panels are mounted, a moisture impervious sealing tape wrapped around the peripheral edges of said panels and separating the same from contact with said frame, said tape forming part of a chamber between said glass panels, desiccant in said chamber, said sealing tape corn- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/61 Kunkle 2056.5 4/61 Crispell et al. 126-194 2/62 Mills 126-200 7/63 Newell 126-190 4/64 Rose et al. 126-200 FOREIGN PATENTS 2/55 Great Britain.

JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner.

KENNETH W. SPRAGUE, Examiner. 

1. A WINDOW UNIT FOR AN OVEN COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED GLASS PANELS, A CONTINUOUS HOLLOW SPACER BETWEEN SAID PANELS AT THE EDGES THEREOF, A FRAME IN WHICH SAID PANELS ARE MOUNTED, A MOISTURE IMPERVIOUS SEALING TAPE WRAPPED AROUND THE PERIPHERAL EDGES OF SAID SPACER AND PANELS AND SEPARATING THE SAMD FR%OM CONTACT WITH SAID FRAME, SAID SPACER AND TAPE COOPERATING TO PROVIDE A CHAMBER, DISICCANT IN SAID CHAMBER, SAID SEALING TAPE COMPRISING ALUMINUM FOIL AND OVERLAPPING THE OUTER FACES OF SAID PANELS, AND A SILICONE ADHESIVE CAPABLE FOR WITHSTANDING TEMPERATURES UP TO ABOUT 550*F. SEALING SAID TAPE TO THE PERIPHERY AND THE OUTER FACES OF SAID PANELS. 